Max Groups Filmmakers as ‘Creators’ and Viewers Are Mad: ‘Bring on the Lawyers’
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Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming app Max changed its name Tuesday, dropping the “HBO” from HBO Max when it merged with Discovery+. But as an eagle-eyed viewer discovered later in the day, it also changed how basic details about a film are listed. And movie fans are very displeased.
On Tuesday night, film commentator (and Twitter power user) John Frankensteiner shared a screengrab of the details section from the landing page for the film “Raging Bull,” as it currently appears on Max.
While the film’s principle actors are listed under “starring,” director Martin Scorsese, writers Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin, and producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, are lumped together under a single listing: “Creators.” Included with them are Peter Savage, author of the book that inspired the film, and boxer Jake LaMotta whose life is depicted in it. Their individual roles are not differentiated.
“The new HBO Max (MAX) has eliminated writer/director credits in their interface in favor of a vague ‘Creators.’ This is what Raging Bull currently looks like. It’s so f—ing over,” Frankensteiner wrote.
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TheWrap can confirm that this style of credits can be found on other films’ detail pages, including “Goodfellas” and “Superman the Movie,” just to name two.
As the image was shared on Twitter, the outrage came to include a cross section of film fans and actual film industry people.
“They’re about to receive so many letters from lawyers. It’s lichurally [sic] in our contracts how we get credited,” writer Jay El Harris said.
“BRING ON THE LAWYERS,” New Orleans-based filmmaker Randy Mack said.
“This is another step towards devaluing the artist and ensuring that their contribution is only ever recognized as merely expendable ‘content,'” actor Stephen Grayhm wrote.
“How do they think the @WGAWest @directorsguild and @producersguild would be even remotely okay with this?” writer Nora Zuckerman exclaimed.
Representatives for Warner Bros. Discovery, WGA and DGA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap.
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Read on for more reactions.
This is fucking horid. https://t.co/ibiofPqs2d
— Payson Johnson (@The_Cinemaster) May 24, 2023
So, yeah, if this doesn't lead to a DGA strike, I don't know if anything will. They're essentially calling filmmakers content creators at this point. Such a middle finger… So effing disrespectful. I'm fuming. https://t.co/gbxpFQrufx
— Jeffrey Rex (@ImJeffreyRex) May 24, 2023
Well this completely sucks. https://t.co/GBE6OVJvuL
— Simon Bennett (@Pookina1) May 24, 2023
They're about to receive so many letters from lawyers. It's lichurally in our contracts how we get credited. https://t.co/9LHLME0xfH
— Jamie (@JayElHarris) May 24, 2023
@StreamOnMax This is beyond stupid. #Max https://t.co/I8gE8BIe1V
— HEDMARK (@hedmarksmovies) May 24, 2023
NGL I’m laughing cuz it’s the kick in nuts to the #auteurtheory nobody saw coming. OTOH where are the fucking Guilds to prevents this horseshit? Did streamers save it for when they’re busy w the strike? BRING ON THE LAWYERS
— Spartacus for the resistance
(@Armakk) May 24, 2023
As many in our industry have already pointed out – this speaks to a larger issue of studios, streamers & distributors continuing to disenfranchise, marginalize and homogenize the artistic contributions and hard work of writers, directors & filmmakers in our community.
This is… https://t.co/BghQhIA6n2— STEVEN GRAYHM (@SGRAYHM) May 24, 2023
How do they think the @WGAWest @directorsguild and @producersguild would be even remotely okay with this? https://t.co/PSi0gYOFXX
— Nora Zuckerman (@NoraZuckerman) May 24, 2023
Oh fuck this. https://t.co/KBSJkpSYJO
— (((Drew Z. Greenberg))) (@DrewZachary) May 24, 2023
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